The Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd

The Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd sits in Thame, a market town that doesn't announce itself loudly but rewards a quiet wander. It's a modest Victorian-era building, red brick and functional rather than flamboyant, which is rather the point of Catholic churches from this period - they were built when Catholics couldn't exactly show off.

Inside, the proportions are generous enough to feel welcoming without being cavernous. Light comes through decent stained glass, and there's a genuine sense of peace - the kind you either want or you don't. The architecture won't blow your mind, but if you're interested in how English Catholics rebuilt their presence after centuries of restrictions, it's instructive. The church tells a story about Oxfordshire that most visitors miss entirely.

This is solidly a place for a 20-minute stop rather than a destination in itself. Worth dropping into if you're exploring Thame itself, which has decent independent shops and a solid pub or two. If you're staying at Lashlake Barn nearby, you could easily include it in a morning's exploration before heading to one of the bigger Oxfordshire attractions.

Admission should be free - it's a working parish church - but do check opening hours before you go. The real value here is adding texture to an Oxfordshire visit, not ticking off must-sees.